06/06/2026
FORMAL PUBLIC REBUTTAL STATEMENT
By Mark Thangmang Haokip
Human Rights Activist
Date: 4 June 2026
RE: Categorical Denial and Formal Rebuttal Against the Defamatory Article Entitled “The Network of Kuki Militant Groups and Their Expansionist Goal” Published on the ZOMI INFO 4.0 WhatsApp Channel.
It is with profound disturbance and righteous indignation that I, Mark Thangmang Haokip, Human Rights Activist and Former President of the Manipur Chapter of the International Human Rights Association (IHRA), hereby issue this formal and categorical rebuttal against the patently defamatory article entitled “The Network of Kuki Militant Groups and Their Expansionist Goal,” which was deliberately published and disseminated through the ZOMI INFO 4.0 WhatsApp Channel.
The said article, in a calculated and malicious act of impersonation, has wrongfully portrayed me as a leader of militant organisations and a secessionist — characterisations that are not only wholly false and fabricated, but are deeply injurious to my personal reputation, my dignity, and my lifelong commitment to the principles of nonviolence, peaceful advocacy, and the rule of law. The author’s evident motive was to incite public sentiment against me by casting me in the role of a dangerous actor, thereby endangering both my liberty and my personal safety.
Such reckless and irresponsible conduct at this particularly sensitive juncture in Manipur’s history is not merely reprehensible — it is highly condemnable and potentially criminal in its consequences.
DENIAL OF ALL MILITANT ASSOCIATION
I state unequivocally and without any reservation whatsoever that, at no point in my life have I maintained any connection, association, affiliation, or sympathy with any militant organisation of any character or denomination. My life’s work stands as a testament to the contrary. I have consistently and resolutely preached the gospel of peaceful nonviolence and the inviolable value of human rights. Indeed, the very nature of my advocacy has, in the past, exposed me to multiple life-threatening situations — a personal sacrifice that underscores the depth of my commitment to peaceful means.
I have never, at any stage of my public or private life, lent support, endorsement, or encouragement to any form of violent action or militancy. The narration of historical truth, the defence of one’s cultural heritage, and the protection of one’s people from systemic abuse are universally recognised expressions of the fundamental human right to freedom of speech and expression, as guaranteed under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). These acts are not crimes; they are the hallmarks of conscientious citizenship and responsible advocacy.
CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE PDRK GROUP
In the interest of complete transparency, I acknowledge that in or around the year 2018, I created a WhatsApp Group and a Facebook Group under the name ‘PDRK’ for the sole and expressed purpose of demonstrating and promoting the values of human rights, nonviolence, and civic education. These platforms were entirely educational in their conception and operation.
However, in October 2019, unknown miscreants maliciously photoshopped and fabricated a false press handout bearing my name and circulated it across social media platforms. Following this act of mischief, I was duly summoned to the office of the Superintendent of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (SP/CID), Imphal, for questioning. After a positive and transparent interaction with the concerned authorities, the matter was amicably resolved, and I formally signed off on the dissolution of the PDRK entity on that very same day. The matter was, therefore, fully settled and closed.
MY SERVICE AS PRESIDENT, IHRA MANIPUR CHAPTER
With effect from January 15, 2020, I was duly appointed by the governing authority of the International Human Rights Association (IHRA) as the President of its Manipur Chapter. Upon assuming this solemn office, I formally and completely renounced all prior activities and undertook an exclusive commitment to the legitimate and lawful protection of human rights. For over two years, I dedicated myself entirely to this noble cause — working tirelessly for the protection of the fundamental rights of minorities, tribal communities, and all individuals whose rights had been subjected to abuse.
Regrettably, during a period of judicial custody arising from a social media post, I was subjected to a deliberate and unjust campaign of rebranding as a secessionist. Furthermore, matters that had been conclusively resolved before the CID in October 2019 were resurrected without lawful basis. This constitutes a grave miscarriage of justice, and I reserve all rights to seek appropriate legal redress in this regard.
DISCLAIMER REGARDING KUKIGOVT.COM
I wish to state categorically that the website kukigovt.com is not in any manner associated with me. I am not its owner, I have no knowledge of its creators, and I have exercised no control over its content whatsoever. While the said website may have reproduced certain of my published articles pertaining to the social and economic welfare of the Kuki community, the existence of such content on the platform does not, in law or in fact, establish any association between myself and the website. A significant portion of the articles appearing therein under my name were not authored by me — my name having been used, without my knowledge or consent, as a device to attract readership. I disclaim all association with this website in the strongest possible terms.
CONDEMNATION AND LEGAL WARNING
I strongly and unreservedly condemn the administrators and publishers of the ZOMI INFO 4.0 WhatsApp Channel for their deliberate act of publishing and propagating such malicious misinformation against me. This action constitutes a direct and grievous assault upon my fundamental rights as a law-abiding citizen of India, including my right to dignity, reputation, and personal liberty as guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
I hereby place the administrators of the said channel on formal notice to immediately and unconditionally remove the offending article and to issue a public retraction and apology. Any continued publication, re-sharing, or dissemination of the defamatory content shall leave all concerned parties — including all channel administrators — liable to appropriate civil and criminal legal action without further notice.
I further urge all social media groups, platforms, and individuals who may have received or reshared this false and harmful narrative to delete and refrain from circulating the same forthwith. The propagation of such content poses a direct threat to an individual’s right to life and liberty, which no responsible citizen of this nation ought to countenance.
CONCLUSION
I have spent my life in service to the cause of human rights and nonviolent advocacy, often at great personal risk. I shall not permit the deliberate and malicious misrepresentation of my character and my life’s work to stand unchallenged. Truth, justice, and the rule of law shall prevail.
Mark Thangmang Haokip
Human Rights Activist
This statement is issued in exercise of the right to freedom of expression under Article 19 of the UDHR and the Constitution of India.
